Tailpiece for banjos.



B. V. KER-SHNER.

TAILPIBOE FOR BANJOS.

APPLICATION FILED nnc.22,191a.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEIIT 1.

avwmdoc Ethan B. V. KERSHNER.

I TAILPIEGE FOR BANJOS.

APPLICATION FILED nnc.22,191s.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

2 sums-satin 2.

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3 nuentoz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN V. KERSHNER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

TAILPIECE FOR BAN-10S.

Application flled December 22, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN V. Knnsiiman, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have inventcd certain new and useful Improvements in 'lail-licces for Banjos, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to improvements in tail pieces for banjos.

The object of my invention is to provide a tail piece for a banjo, in which the strings can be readily attached and secured thereto without tying, and, at the same time, providing means for adjusting the tail piece, so that the forward end can be tilted. This tilting of the tail piece brings it down closer to the head and prevents the bridge from slipping, and, at the same time, greatly increases the volume of the tone of the banjo.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple, cheap and more effective tail piece having certain details of structure and advantages hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a banjo, showing my improved tail piece applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the tail piece removed and showing the manner of securing the strings thereto. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of Fig. 1, showing the tail .iece in dotted lines, in one of its adjuster ositions. Fig. 4 is an enlar ed end view, s iowing, in dotted lines, the o liquely arranged openings through which the strings pass; and Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 represents the ordinary banjo, the head 2 of which is provided with the usual lug 3, by means of which the tail piece is attache all of which is old and needs nofurther description.

My improved tail piece '1 consists of an elongated piece of metal, preferably tapering. and having at its outer end the openings 5, through which the strings pass. These strings, as shown, pass through the openings from the underside and extend rearwardly, lying flat upon the outer face thereof.

The rear end of said fan-shaped metal piece is provided with a downwardly turned portion 6, having at its lower end a laterally and outwardly turned ear 7. This car is Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

Serial No. 808,200.

provided with an opening 8, through which the bolt 9 passes, the said bolt, also, passing through an opening 10 in the lug 3, whereby the tail piece is fastened toithe head of the banjo. The bolt 9 is of a diameter less than the opening 8 in the ear of the tail piece, whereby the same can be rocked upon the bolt for the purpose hereinafter more fully described.

The downwardly turned portion 6 of the tail piece, above the car 7, is provided with two screw-threaded openings 11, through which the bolts 12 and 13 screw and engage the side of the head 2, whereby the forward end of the tail piece may be tilted downwardly, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, which not only holds the bridge more tightly upon the drum of the head. but also increases the volume of tone of the instrument.

The downwardly turned portion 6 of the tail piece, above the bolts 12 and 13. is provided at each side with horizontally arranged and outwardly extending lugs 14 and 15, connected by the transverse bar 16, which, as shown, are integral and are made as a part of the casting in the making of the tail piece.

The bar 16 is provided with five openings 17, corresponding in number to those in the forward end of the tail piece. These openings 17, as shown, start from the forward upper edge and extend obliquely thereof and terminate at the rear lower edge, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawlogs. The rear vertical wall of the bar 16 is provided with vertical grooves 18, which are intermediate the upper and lower ends of the openings.

In placing the strings in position they are passed downwardly between the bar 16 and the body portion of the tail piece and pass upwardly on the outside of the bar in the grooves 18. The ends are passed downwardly through the openings and the free ends are passed under the looped portion 19 of the strings across the grooves 18. By this arrangement of the openings and grooves, it will be seen that the ends of the strings are firmly gripped and forced into the rooves of the bar 16. and the strings are irmly held without tying knots therein.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have produced a tail piece for a banjo which can be readily applied to the ordinary banjo, and in which the some can l (Hi be so constructed that the forward end can be tilted downwardly toward the head for more firmly holding the bridge in position and also greatly increasing the volume of tone. The arrangement of the grooves and openings in.thc b,ar also provide means,

whereby the strings are firmly held and can not possibly slip, thus avoiding the tying oi knots in the strings for securing them to the tail' piece.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A tail piece for stringed instruments, comprising an elongated body portion, means for connecting one end of the body portion to the head of the instrument, and means carried by the tail piece adjacent the securing means and adapted to engage the head of the instrument for causing the free end to bear downwardly toward the head of the instrument.

2. A tail piece for stringed instruments, comprising an elongated body portion having a downwardly turned portion loosely connected to the side of the head of the instrument, and means for forcing the downwardly turned end away from the sides of the head thereby forcing the op osite end downwardly toward the head of tie instrument.

3. A tail piece for a stringed instrument, comprising an elongated body portion having a downwardl turned )ortion loosely connected to the side of the head of the instrument, and means carried by the downwardly turned portion for forcing the same away from the head of the instrument thereby forcing the opposite end downwardly toward the head of the instrmnent.

4. The combination with a stringed instrument, of a tail piece consisting of an elongated body portion extending adjacent the bridge of the instrument and throu h which the strings pass, the opposite end of t 1e body portion turned downwardly along the side of the head of the instrmnent, means for loosely connecting said downwardly turned end to the side of the head, and a bolt passing through the downwardly turned portion and engaging the side of the head thereby forcing the opposite end downwardly toward the head of the instrument.

5. The combination with a banjo, of a tail piece consisting of an elongated body portion having one end engaging the strings of the instrument, a downwardly extending end carried by the opposite end of the body portion, means for loosely connecting said end to the head of the instrument and a bolt passing through said end and engaging the head of the instrument, substantially as shown and described.

6. A tail piece for the banjo, comprising abody portion, a transverse bar carried by the body portion and spaced therefrom to leave an open space between said bar and the body portion and having openings therein arranged to securely hold the strings thereto.

i". A tail piece for a banjo, comprising an elongated flat body portion, a transverse bar carried by the body portion below its upper face and spaced therefrom, and having openings extending downwardly from its forward wall to the rear wall and extending obliquely of the axis of the bar, whereby the stringscan be passed through the openings and held without tying.

8. A tail piece for a banjo, comprising an elongated flat bodv portion having one end turned downwardly, a transverse bar carried by said downwardly turned end below the upper face of the body portion, and having openings extending from the upper end of the forwardwall through the bar to the lower end of the rear wall and extending obliquely of the axis of the bar, the rear wall of the bar having grooves, whereby the strings pass downwardly around the-bar in the grooves and through the openings and the tree ends passing under the loops in the grooves.

In testimony whereof, I ailix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN v. KERSHNER.

' Witnesses:

W M. E. DICKSQN, A. E. FEIGE.

Copiel of this patent may be obtained for five can" each; by oddrening tho Commissioner 0! Patents,

Washington, D. O."

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